The Presbyterian Church USA, which has more than 780 Million dollars in assets, and investments over 190 million dollars has gone off the deep end. Completely loony. Attempting to create peace in the middle East, they have voted to divest from five companies that do business with Israel. This is the same group that praised Hezbollah during their recent trip to Beirut.

If you think the Presbys are making a grave error, let them know by calling their 800 number toll-free today.

Presbyterian Information line: (800) 872-3283 (PresbyTel Information Service)â¨Monday-Fridayâ¨9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time
You can also email this person in charge of important decisions about justice and peace and fava beans: Mr. Somplat

Not that peace is not possible, it is that peace requires a recognition of the authenticity of anotherâs position, and well, these guys only seem to understand the Arab view of history, not another.

So you want to know who they want to gang up on and get to stop doing biz with the mean baddy Israelis?

Let me quote from their manifesto for peaceful engagment:

0. Caterpillar â Caterpillar manufactures heavy equipment used for demolition of Palestinian homes, the uprooting of olive trees, construction of roads and infrastructure in the occupied territories for use only by Israeli settlers, and facilitating by the Israeli military.

[Ok. so Israel is the worlds largest user of Cats? What are they joking? There are maybe 100 in the whole country]

0. Citigroup â Citigroup is a large international bank cited by the Wall Street Journal on April 20, 2005, for having moved substantial funds from charities later seen to be fronts funneling money to terrorist organizations. Some of these funds ended up as payments to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers.

[This makes some sense]

0. ITT Industries â ITT Industries is a diversified manufacturer that supplies the Israeli military with communications, electronic and night vision equipment used by its forces in the occupied territories.

[Ok, and for the USA Army that is spending gazillions in Iraq, they should have good equipment?]

0. Motorola â Motorola recently won a contract to develop wireless encrypted communications for the Israeli military in the occupied territories. Additionally, it is a majority investor in one of Israel’s four cell phone companies. This investment is controversial because cell phone companies, according to the Oslo Agreement of 1995, must be licensed by the Palestinian Authority in order to operate in the West Bank and Gaza. With powerful facilities in the settlements, with a range covering all of the occupied territories, this licensing has not occurred.

[ok everyone get rid of your cell phones and start using morse code]

0. United Technologies â United Technologies is a large military contractor whose subsidiary has provided helicopters to the Israeli military. They have been used in attacks in the occupied territories against suspected Palestinian terrorists. The company also provides other military hardware.

[they also make rescue copters and ones that fight forest fires. I dont imagine that in the offices of the Presby church they use anyting made in china, that represses chrisitianity and tibet, i dont suppose that they use gas in their cars taht comes from saudi arabi that directly supprots world terror, and i am sure that they eat food that is laden with pestides that poison the earth.]

One of the chief architects of this folly is a man that really seems like a decent chap, William Somplatsky-Jarman.